Islamophibia

1994-2001: Hate crimes victimizing
Muslims and vandalizing mosques

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The FBI reports annually about hate
crimes in the U.S. Among these crimes, religious motivation appears to be second only to
race in frequency.

In late 2000, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group, reported anti-Islamic remarks
by a range of American and Canadian public figures, "from
congressional candidates to syndicated columnists. [They] have portrayed
Islam as 'murderous' and Palestinians as 'lower than pond scum' or 'ragheads,'
'pieces of sh-t' and 'turds.'

Anti-Islamic religious hatred appears to be widespread in
the U.S. and Canada. Violent incidents against Muslims and their mosques
are often triggered by national and international news items. For example,
anti-Muslim hysteria followed the 1995 terrorist attack on the Murrah
Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK. Although responsibility for the
bombing was eventually traced to two domestic terrorists from the Christian
Identity movement, there had been initial speculation that the persons
responsible might have been Muslims. The 2001-MAR attack on two Muslims in
Sparks, NV might have been triggered by the destruction of the Buddhist
statues by the Taleban, in Afghanistan.

The CAIR website describes some of incidences
against Muslims and their places of worship over the past few years in the U.S.
and Canada: 1,2

1994: An arsonist started a fire that burned to
the ground a nearly completed mosque in Yuba City. CA.

1995: The Islamic center in Springfield IL was
destroyed by arson.

1995-SEP-17: Vandals painted obscenities and
graffiti on the windows, walls and trees of the Islamic Center of
Passaic County, in Patterson, NJ. Flammable liquid was found on
the floor of an outbuilding; this might have been an attempted arson.

1995-OCT-21:The Islamic Center and Masjid of
Greenville, SC, was destroyed in an arson attack. A suspect was
later charged.

1995-OCT-21: Vandals painted an obscene
message on the wall of the Flint Islamic Center/Genesee Academy in Flint, MI.

1996-MAR-19: Employees of a radio station in
Denver, CO entered the local mosque after morning prayers. They
allegedly played the national anthem on a trumpet, harassed the
worshipers, and broadcast the incident live on radio. An agreement was
later concluded between the local Muslim community and the radio
station. It included a public apology by the station, sensitivity
training for station employees and PSAs that offered a positive image
of Islam.

1998-JAN-28: A 23 year old man was arrested
for allegedly smashing a concrete block through the glass front door
of the mosque in Fort Collins, CO.

1998-JAN-29: Vandals scattered metal spikes
in the parking lot of the Flint Islamic Center in Flint, MI. A
number of cars had flat tires.

1998-FEB-22: A vandal threw a beer bottle
through the second floor window of the mosque in Bloomingdale, IN.

1998-MAR-8: Someone torched three school
busses owned by the local Islamic school in Ottawa, ON Canada.

1999-MAY: A man was arrested after
fleeing in his car from the area of a mosque in Denver CO. Loaded weapons,
machetes, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and
bomb making materials were found in his car. Jack Merylin Modig was
later arrested. He allegedly said "I am an enemy against the
Islamic nation [sic] and I was going to take care of business."

1999-JUN-23: CFRB, a Toronto, ON Canada radio
station broadcasted a live call-in program. The initial topic
dealt with a Greek Orthodox priest who refused admittence of a
seeing-eye dog into his church. A caller criticized religious
extremism. He said "Nero burned the wrong people - he should
have burned the Muslims." The announcer tried to change to
another topic. The operations manager of CFRB later apologized. They
have since drawn up new guidelines for operations during call-in
shows.

1999-MAR-5: A mosque was seriously damaged by an
arsonist in Minneapolis, MN

1999: Three youths were charged with vandalism
of a Villa Park IL mosque, near Chicago. They allegedly threw several
large chunks of concrete and a glass milk bottle through four windows
of the Islamic Foundation.

2000-JUN-20: A gunman seriously injured a
worshiper at an Islamic Center in Memphis, TN. The door to the mosque
was damaged by a shotgun blast.

2000-NOV: A suspicious fire gutted the lobby of
a mosque in Surrey, British Columbia, and severely damaged the rest of
the building. There were no injuries reported. Witnesses reported
seeing a van speeding away from the mosque just before an explosion
was heard.

2001-JAN: Vandals targeted the Islamic Center
of Southern California.

2001-FEB *: Vandals attacked a mosque in
Winnipeg, MB, Canada. They smeared animal feces, eggs and white paint
on the front of the building. Garbage was strewn around.

2001-MAR-16: Several youths, one with a
baseball bat, allegedly attacked two Muslims who were standing outside
of their mosque in Sparks NV. One Muslim had his arm broken. The other
was more seriously injured and was in critical condition in hospital
after undergoing three operations. A member of a nearby church ran to
help stop the attack.

* Date is approximate.

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Precautions:

CAIR recommended that mosques consider taking a number of safety measures:

Policy and procedure changes:

Report suspicious packages to police. Do not touch
them.

Try to have people attend the mosque as much as
possible. Activity deters perpetrators.

Consider creating a security committee at your mosque.

Post mosque members at entrances and parking areas
during prayer times.

Document descriptions of suspicious people or
vehicles.

Make duplicates of all important papers, computer
disks and records.

Work with with the local community:

Build good relationships with neighbors of the mosque.
Invite them to visit your center.

Request additional police patrols in the vicinity of
your center. Special attention should be paid to times of darkness and
during prayers.

Participate in neighborhood watch programs.

Consider implementing site modifications:

Ask the community relations
officer of your local police department to tour your center and make
suggestions on improving mosque security.

Install outside perimeter floodlights.

Install security cameras.

Install fire and burglar alarms.

Remove trash, debris and other fire hazards

Trim shrubs and vines to reduce areas of
concealment.

Install burglarproof bars on screens and large
vents if permitted by building codes